Trundle truck



NOV` 4, 1947- v P. CRONRATH n Y v 2,430,107

TRUNDLF. TRUCK Filed Dec. 22, 1945 lNvENToR Pa'zz/ (waff/'am ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 4, 1%947 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE TRUNDLE TRUCK PaulCronrath, Spokane, Wash.

Application December 22, 194:5, Serial No. 636,935

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to a trundle truck of the type used for movingheavy and bulky objects, such as quarters of beef, from one place toanother and it is one object of the invention to provide a truck of suchconstruction that after it has been moved into position under a quarterof beef or the like hanging from an overhead hook the truck may betilted and a shelf for engaging under and supporting the meat shiftedupwardly to remove its weight from the hook and allow the meat to bedetached from the hook and moved from one place to another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truck with a shelf whichis so mounted that it may be shifted vertically to adjusted positionsand brought to rest in position where it will be disposed close to thelower end of meat suspended from a hook. It will thus be seen that theshelf may be adjusted to accommodate the truck to the length of the meatwhich is to be detached from a hook and moved.

Another object of the invention .is to provide a truck having at itslower end rockers which project forwardly from the truck and upon whichthe truck is to be tilted in order to raise a quarter of beef underwhich the shelf of the truck is disposed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truck which is of lightweight but strong and capable of being subjected to rough usage withoutbeing broken or otherwise damaged.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. lis a perspective view of the improved truck.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken vertically l through the truck alongthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken transversely through a,side portion of the truck.

This truck has a frame provided with side bars I between which extendcross bars 2 formed of angle metal and an upper cross bar 3 formed froma flat strip of metal. There has also been provided a rod ll havingthreaded end portions carrying securing nuts 5. The side bars are formedof angle metal and these side bars have their anges 6 extendingdownwardly along their outer side edges and formed with longitudinallyspaced slots 'l which extend at the angle shown in Figure 2 and are openat their rear ends. Brackets 3 extend rearwardly from lower ends of theside bars and carry an axle 9 upon which wheels I are mounted. ShortU-shaped legs Il extend from the side bars in opposed relation to eachother and above these legs are other legs I2,

These legs I I and I2 will serve very effectively to support the truckwhen swung rearwardly and downwardly to a reclining position.

A prop i3 is provided in spaced relation to the lower end of the frameand this prop, which is formed from a strip of stiff metal, is ofU-shaped formation and has its arms I4 formed with openings to receivethe rod ll and pivotally mount the prop for swinging movement into andout of position for use. Helical springs I5 fit about the rod 4 and havetheir outer end bearing against inner faces of the flanges 6 of sidebars I and their inner ends abutting washers I6 which fit about the rodand are engaged by nuts I 'I threaded upon the rod. By adjusting thenuts along the rod tension of the springs may be adjusted and the arms Ill of the prop I3 subjected to desired binding engagement with theflanges of the side bars. Therefore the prop may be swung to a foldedposition against the side bars of the frame or to an extended positionit will support the truck in the position shown in Figures l and 2, Ashelf I3 extends forwardly from the frame I for supporting a quarter ofbeef to be transported on the truck. This shelf is formed of sheet metaland its rear edge removably engaged in selected slots I9 formed in thewebs or forwardly projecting anges 20 of T-bars 2l carried by they crossbars 2 and extending longitudinally of the frame in transverse spacedrelation to each other. A rod 22 extends under the shelf transverselythereof near its front and through eyes 23 and ends of this rod areengaged with front ends of supporting bars 2li which extend rearwardlyfrom the rod at opposite sides of the shelf and have their rear endsengaged with a rod 25 disposed back of the frame and removably engagedin selected ones of the slots 'I formed in flanges of the side bars I.The shelf will thus be firmly supported in a horizontal position infront of the frame and may be easily shifted vertically to adjustedpositions. Strips or bars 2B formed of angle metal are mounted acrossthe shelf or platform I8 so that when a quarter of beef is brought torest upon the shelf it will have its lower portion resting upon theupstanding flanges of the strips and be prevented from slippingforwardly off of the shelf. The forward one of the strips 26 extends thefull width of the shelf and is formed from a larger strip of angle metalso that it constitutes a very effective barrier for overlapping the beefand limiting its forward movement upon the shelf.

When a quarter of beef or the like is to be removed from an overheadhook in an icebox or cold storage room and moved the truck is rolledalong the oor into place and its shelf disposed under the beef. Theshelf should be close to the lower end of the beef and if necessary theshelf will be shifted vertically to dispose it in its proper position.The truck must then be rocked forwardly and upwardly in order to bringthe shelf into lifting engagement with the beef and raise the beef tosuch an extent that its weight will be removed from the hook and allowthe beef to be easily detached from the hook. In order that the truckmay be rocked forwardly and upwardly there have been provided rockers 2lcarried by arms 28 which project forwardly from lower ends of the sidebars l- The arms 28 are formed by bending forwardly portions of theangle metal from which the side bars are formed and forward portions ofthe arms are then bent downwardly and rearwardly to form the rockerswhich have their rear ends welded or otherwise rmly secured to the arms.Cross bars 29 are mounted between end portions of the arms and bracethem against transverse bending. After the truck has. been rockedforwardly and upwardly upon the rockers 21 and the meat detached fromthe overhead hook itl will settle upon the shelf Where it is secured bya chain 30 having one end connected with a shackle 3l of one side bar land provided with a hook 32 at its other end for engaging through an eye33. carried by the other side bar. The truck will thenA be tiltedrearwardly onto the wheels l and pushed along the floor. If it isdesired to allow the. truck to remain in an upright position with themeat resting upon it the prop I3 is swung downwardly from a foldedposition against the under or rear face of the frame and since thebridge of the prop will rest upon the floor back of the wheels the truckwill be supported and prevented. from moving out ofthe upright positionshown in Figure 2. When the truck is not in use the rear end of theshelf may be moved outof engagement with the bars 2l and disposed atagainst the frame of the truck and the truck then tilted rearwardly toareclining position in which it will rest upon the supports H and i2. Thearms 28 not only serve as carriers for the rockers 21 but may also serveas supports for the shelf when the shelf is in. a fully loweredposition. When itv is desired toV use the truck without a shelf the rod25 may be disengaged from notches of the side bars I- and the shelf thenmoved upwardly out of engagement with the frame. A load carried by thetruck will then restupon the arms 28.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1, A truck comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars, wheelsmounted back of the lower end of said frame, a shelf in front4 of saidframe, bars extending longitudinally of said frameA and formed withlongitudinally spaced seats for receiving the rear edge portion of. theshelf and holding the shelf in vertically adjusted positions, the sidebars having seats spaced from each other along the rear edges of theside bars, and

a yoke having a cross bar engageable in selected seats of the side barsand bars extending forwardly from the cross bar and pivoted to oppositeside edge portions of the shelf.

2. A truck comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars', wheelsmounted back of the lower end of said frame, a shelf in front of saidframe, bars extending longitudinally ofV said frame and formed withlongitudinally spaced seats for receiving the rear edge portion of theshelf and holding the shelf in vertically adjusted positions, the sidebars of said frame being formed of angle metal having rearwardlyextending flanges formed with slotsv leading from their rear edges, anda support for the yoke consisting of a rod engageable in selected onesof the slots in the side bars of the. frame, and barsmounted upon endsof the rod and extending. forwardly with their front ends pivotallymounted at opposite sides of the front end portion of the shaft.

3. A truck comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars, wheelsmounted back of the lower end of said frame.. a shelf in front, of saidframe, bars extending longitudinally of said frame and formed withlongitudinally spaced seats for receiving the rear edge portion of theshelf and holding the shelf in vertically adjusted positions. the sidebars having vertically spaced slots, a rod mounted transversely of theshelf. under the front end portion thereof with its ends projecting.from sides of the shelf, bars pivoted at their front ends to ends of therod,y and a rod mounted between rear ends of the bars: and engaged inselected slotsl of the side bars.

PAUL CRONRATH.

The following referencesv are of record' in the Number Name Date 474,653Delller May l0, 1892 779,124 Haffey J an. 3, 1905 795,147 Magoin July18,1905 929,291 Dawkins July 27, 1909' 977,056 Verhlanck Nov. 29, 19101,015,393 Murphy Jan. 23, 1912 1,578,602 Heath -1 Mar. 30, 19261,727,523 Schwenk Sept. 10, 1920 1,866,887 Gleason et al July 12, 19322,056,078 Slater Sept. 29, 1936 2,084,310 Breuer i.. June 22, 19372,313,868 Garlinghouse Mar. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate.

340,514 France May 1.4, 1904 351,771.- Great Britain July 2, 1931

